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“Want to train your brain? Forget apps, learn a musical instrument.” – Mo Castandi, The Guardian 24th Oct 2016
In Music, we aim to inspire students by teaching them a wide variety of musical styles from around the world, and build their confidence by encouraging them to listen to, compose, perform and appraise an assortment of music from various periods and genres.
As well as learning in class, students can be involved in instrumental lessons run by our fantastic peripatetic team; perform in groups including year group bands, brass band, and our Rhythm and Blues Band; or join our Sound Club where we teach students how to run a live sound event, use lighting boards and produce music using Cubase. Students are given opportunities to perform in assemblies, at the Carol Service and Founders Day.
We aim to create confident, well rounded individuals who are committed to trying new ideas and thinking creatively. Music has the ability to help students to become creative and self-assured.
Students are currently receiving one lesson of Music a fortnight in which we cultivate their skills in the areas of Performance, Composition, and Listening and Appraising. They will develop these skills individually, in small groups and as a class and will be given opportunities to use a variety of instruments and music software to work on these skills. They are encouraged to take up peripatetic lessons and be involved in a variety of groups and clubs.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Topic 1 Rhythms: Students will learn how to read rhythms, leading to a final performance of a variety of rhythm sheets which gradually become more complex. Building on their knowledge of notation and rhyth they will learn how rhythms are applied to poetry. Students will create a rhythmical version of a poem | Topic 2 Performance: Students will learn how to read the notes of the treble clef and how to perform a piece on the keyboard of varying difficulty. Students will be assessed on their performance of a the given piece of music which becomes more complex | Topic 2 Performance: Students will learn how to read the notes of the treble clef and how to perform a piece on the keyboard of varying difficulty. Students will be assessed on their performance of a the given piece of music which becomes more complex
| Topic 3 Structures: Students will learn how composers use musical elements to create contrasting sections in music and the most common musical structures. They will continue to build on the foundations set in term 1 and 2. Students will also develop their listening and appraising skills by listening to various pieces of music demonstrating different musical structures. Students will be assessed on their final notated piece using either of the following structures; binary or ternary | Topic 4 World Music: Students will learn about music from around the world. They will be set regular listening tasks focusing on music from different continents identifying similarities and differences. Using the universal pentatonic scale students will work in small groups to compose and perform a piece to reflect a different country | Topic 5: Moods in Music Students will analysis and explore music by a variety of composers focusing on programme music through listening tasks and composing their own piece using a range of stimuli They will apply their knowledge of musical elements to create a piece of music that can depict a story or image | |
Students have one lesson a fortnight through which they expand the skills learnt in Year 7. Students will build on the performance, composition, and listening and appraising skills they have through the study of music from a variety of styles and periods.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 | |
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| Topic 1 Blues: Students will learn the history and styles of Blues music, and how it has influenced Rock music and continues to influence music from today. Students will be tested on their knowledge of a variety of styles of Blues; students will creating a Blues composition based on their knowledge of the Blues Performance: Students will be performing a Blues chord progression | Topic 1 Blues: Students will learn the history and styles of Blues music, and how it has influenced Rock music and continues to influence music from today. Students will be tested on their knowledge of a variety of styles of Blues; students will creating a Blues composition based on their knowledge of the Blues Performance: Students will be performing a Blues chord progression | Topic 2 Minimalism: Patterns in Music Students will learn how patterns are used and developed to create pieces of music. They will learn how Minimalism has influenced the music that they listen to .Listening: Students will be assessed on their ability to identify/describe and explain how composers develop patterns. Composition: Students will be assessed on their ability to compose and develop a variety of patterns | Topic 3 Reggae: Students will continue to build on their knowledge of world music and keyboard skills. Through the combination of their understanding of chord progressions, reading notation and rhythms. Students will also gain a wider understanding of how reggae developed and what influenced musicians
| Topic 4 Music and the media: Students will learn the importance of music within the world of media. They will analyse music from different advertisements. Explore the use of musical elements to attract audiences to by products | Topic 4 Music and the media: Students will learn the importance of music within the world of media. They will analyse music from different advertisements. Explore the use of musical elements to attract audiences to by products | |
Students have one lesson a fortnight and apply their performing, composing, and listening and appraising skills in more complex situations. The curriculum will allow students to think more creatively and introduce them to concepts used by modern musicians of many different styles.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Topic 1 Film Music: Students will apply their knowledge of musical elements to create music for a film clip. They will create leitmotifs for different characters and analyse how composers used music to create moods in film | Topic 1 Film Music: Students will apply their knowledge of musical elements to create music for a film clip. They will create leitmotifs for different characters and analyse how composers used music to create moods in film | Topic 2 Electronic Dance Music: Students will learn how to create a song in a style of electronic dance music, using beats, bass lines, chord progressions and melodies. They will analyse songs from various periods of electronic dance music and will develop different effects used by producers | Topic 2 Electronic Dance Music: Students will learn how to create a song in a style of electronic dance music, using beats, bass lines, chord progressions and melodies. They will analyse songs from various periods of electronic dance music and will develop different effects used by producers | Topic 3 Rock music: Students will perform a rock song and analyse songs from different periods of rock and learn about the development of rock music from the 1950s to the present | Topic 4 Fusion: Students will learn how composers combine different genres of music to create a new style. They will compose a piece of music that involves more than one genre of music. They will combine their knowledge of genres learnt during key stage 3 to create their own composition |
Please see attached Key Stage 3 Learning Journey for Music.
At Key Stage 4 the GCSE Music course focuses around the continued enhancement and exploration of the three core musical skills: Listening and Appraising, Composing and Performing, yet in much more depth than during KS3.
Through Edexcel (our chosen exam board) our students will explore these skills in conjunction with four Areas of Study:
You must complete two performances, one as a soloist and one as a member of an ensemble (including a duet). By the end of Year 11, you should aim to be performing at approximately grade 4 standard.
You should have instrumental or vocal lessons on your chosen performance instrument/voice either through the school, or privately to help you to achieve your potential.
You need to compose two pieces or music; one as a ‘Free Composition’ based on your own intended purpose (related to one of the 4 Areas of Study) and a ‘Set Brief’ composition..
Your submission must include the completed score (either in traditional notation, graphic score, lead sheet or detailed written description) and audio recording (acoustic or electronic) for both compositions.
At the end of Year 11, you will sit a 1 ½ hour written ‘Listening & Appraising’ exam based around the detailed analysis of eight set works and unfamiliar listening pieces from the four Areas of Study studied throughout the course.
This exam will also assess your musical dictation skills; your ability to analyse music notation on the stave; your understanding of musical language and vocabulary as well as general musicianship skills.
This paper includes an extended essay style question which will ask you to analyse one of your set works in more detail and compare it to an unfamiliar piece of music from the same Area of Study. This will involve the application of all the listening and appraising skills culminated throughout both KS3 and KS4.
Year 10, students will be introduced to the 3 skills needed for GCSE Music. They will begin to study the 2 set pieces for component 3 listening and appraising along with wider listening to develop their aural and analytical skills. Students will also develop performance skills and compositional skills whilst analysing different genres of music and putting what they have learnt into practice through given tasks leading students to complete a portfolio of 2 compositions and 2 performances.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AoS 1: Musical Forms and Devices set work Badinerie by Bach and introduction to composition | AoS 2: Music for Ensemble Wider Listening. Composition skills development and developing ensemble performance | AoS 3: Film Music Wider Listening. Composition skills development and developing performance | AoS 4: Popular Music set work Africa by Toto. Free Composition Solo performance | AoS 1 and 2: Retrieval and exam practice set work Badinerie by Bach and wider listening. Development of Free Composition. Solo Performance | AoS 3 and 4: Retrieval and exam practice set work Africa by Toto and wider listening. Completion of Free Composition. Record Solo Performance |
Students analyse the final three set works and develop their coursework until completed. The first of the two recorded performances takes place in September with the second taking place in January. The first composition (set brief) is completed by December and the free composition by March with the redrafts happening in Term 4. Once all the coursework is completed, students then have thorough revision sessions to aid them in being fully prepared for the analysis exam at the end of the two-year course.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOS 4 Fusions set works/ Wider listening. Composition to a Brief | AOS 4 Fusions set works/ Wider listening. Composition to a Brief | AOS 4 Fusions set works/ Wider Listening Composition to a Brief | AOS 1-4 Revision. Composition to a Brief Final Performances | AOS 1-4 Revision | GCSE Exams |
Please see attached Key Stage 4 Learning Journey for Music.
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Please see attached Key Stage 5 Learning Journey for Music.
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Please see attached Key Stage 5 Learning Journey for Music Tech.
Students in Year 9 will be exploring the variety of careers in the music industry. There are many jobs that are not tied down to performing including Producers; Recording Engineers; Artist Manager; Tour Managers; Music Teacher; Booking Agent; Publicist; Composers; Arrangers.
Rule of Law: Students learn about the copyright law and the Performing Rights Society.
Mutual respect: Students are taught about the values of different cultures through the study of a variety of music from different areas of the world.
Individual Liberty: Students explore civil rights through the history of Jazz, Blues and Rock music.
